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Talent hires interim administrator Ex-Eagle Point manager John Luthy is expected to take city into year 2000 By DANI DODGE TALENT -- City council members unanimously agreed Monday to hire former Eagle Point city administrator John Luthy to guide them until they can hire a permanent city administrator. "He's well respected by people who have worked with him and I feel he brings a great deal of knowledge and experience with him that will help us through this transitional period," said Councilwoman Lisa Shapiro. Luthy, 70, served as Eagle Point's city administrator from 1994 until his retirement in 1998. Before moving to the Rogue Valley to take the Eagle Point position, he managed small cities in California and worked in public education. Former Ashland City Administrator Brian Almquist also was considered for the Talent job, but withdrew his application, council members said. Neither Luthy nor Almquist could be reached for comment. Talent's last city administrator, Preston Polasek, resigned two weeks ago after the city council discussed complaints against him over several days in closed-door meetings. Formerly an assistant to the city manager in Medford, Polasek held the Talent post only seven weeks. He was hired after Leahnette York left to take another job. The council appointed Police Chief C.W. Smith to oversee the city between Polasek's resignation and the hiring on an interim city administrator. Smith said he doesn't expect Luthy to face any unmanageable tasks. "I don't think anything will really be a challenge to him," Smith said. "He's faced about every kind of similar problem already." Councilwoman Joi Riley said, though, that Luthy will take the reins of the city at a crucial time. "Unless a miracle happens, this person will be with us through the end of the year, and will be our Y2K person," she said. "I think (the city of Talent) is all Y2K compliant, but people outside the city can affect us." She also noted that heavy rains in the past have wreaked havoc with the city's water system -- something that also has to be watched carefully. Mayor Marian Telerski said she expects Luthy to be with the city four to six months during its search. Council members did not disclose his wages, saying they were still being negotiated. As Luthy is taking care of the nuts and bolts of city government, a subcommittee of council members will be meeting to decide what tack to take in finding a new city administrator. "We will research the different aspects of hiring a new administrator and compare it with how we've done it in the past," Shapiro said. "We can do the search ourselves, or hire an outside agency." But council members said they feel secure with the near future knowing Luthy will be at the helm for awhile. "I think he's going to move right in comfortably," Telerski said. Riley finished her thought by quipping: "I'm sure running a city is just like riding a bicycle." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA